Exhaust muffling and cooling device



May 11 1926.

L. E. CLAWSON EXHAUST MUFFLING mp COOLING DEVICE o i l Filed April 14.1924 Patented May 11,

UNITED STATEElEi LEONARD E. CLAW'SON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

i EXHAUST MUFFLINCT AND COOLING DEVICE.

Aplication filed April 14, 1924, Serial No. 706,422. Renewed. March 22,1926.

This invention relates to a combined muffiing and cooling device, andparticularly to a device of this character which may be connected withthe exhaust pipe of an automo bile or like motor driven vehicle.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplifythe COIlSlllllC'. tion and operation of mufflers of the characterdescribed; to provide a device which may be readily applied to a motordriven vehicle of the type propelled by an internal combustion engineand so connected with the ex haust pipe thereof that the sound of thedischarging gases will be silent and muffled, and the gases expanded andcooled before discharging therefrom; and further, to provide means formixing the gases with a large volume of fresh air, whereby to dilute thegases to such an extent as to render carbonmonoxide and other poisonousgases contained substantially harmless.

One form which my invention may assume is exemplified in the followingdescription and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which thefigure is a perspective view of the combined muffler and cooler, oneside of the device being removed and shown in section and other partsbeing broken away.

Referring to the drawing A indicates, in general, a rectangular shapedcasing constructed of sheet metal or the like. The casing consists oftwo sides, atop and bottom section, and a pair of end sections. Thecasing is provided with a plurality of superposed interspaced partitionmembers such as indicated at 2, 3, 4 and 5. These partition membersextend substantially from end to end of the casing, but are staggeredwith relation to each other and as such form connecting passages oropenings as indicated at 6, 7, 8 and 9.

The device is intended to be connected with the exhaust pipe of aninternal combustion engine and this pipe is extended into the casing asindicated at 10. The pipe passes through an upper passage indicated at11 and terminates in a goose-neck as indicated at 12, the goose-neckdirecting the gases into the next passage indicated at 13. The gasesthen flow through the communieating passage 7 into a passage 14 and theycontinue flowing in zigzag fashion through the passages indicated at 15and 16, which are connected by means of the communicating openings 8 and9, the gases being finally permitted to discharge through an end openingin the casing shown at 17.

The upper passage 11 is open at its forward end and it is provided witha funnel or the like as indicated at 18 to direct fresh air into thepassage.

The passages 14: and 16 are provided with air inlet pipes 19 and 20 andtheir outer ends are'also provided with funnels as shown at 21 toconcentrate and direct as large a volume of air as possible into therespective passages.

The device is particularly intended for use on automobiles and likevehicles which are driven by means of internal combustion engines, andit is therefore provided with one or more hangers as indicated at 22,whereby it may be attached to the main frame of a vehicle. The exhaustpipe is extended into the upper passage 11. The gases are directed intothe next passage shown at 13 by means of the goose-neck terminationshown at 12. The device is so applied to a vehicle that the funnels 18and 21 will point to the forward end of the vehicle, while the dischargeopening 17 will point to the rear end of the vehicle. Thus, when thevehicle is in motion a comparatively large volume of air is caught bythe funnels and is directed into the communicating passages. The exhaustgases discharging from the pipe 10 are thus permitted to graduallyexpandand the sound or noise that would otherwise be produced is mutliedand silenced. The gases are at the same time mixed with such a largevolume of air that they are rapidly cooled and they are furthermore sodiluted before they are finally permitted to discharge through theopening 17 that the poisonous gases, such as carbon-monoxide, etc, arerendered substantially harmless.

The device is simple and compact in construction and may be attached topractically any standard type of motor vehicle now in use as it ismerely necessary to connect the device to the exhaust pipe and then toattach it by means of the hangers or brackets 22 to the main frame orany other suitable support. The device will entirely obviate the use ofthe ordinary muffler and as such will permit removal of the same and thesaving of power. It is well known that the majority o mufflers now inuse causes a considerable back pressure on the exhaust pipe and engineand for this reason interfere with the full horse-power development ofthe motor. The present device overcomes this objection as it permits atree escape and rapid expansion of the gases and as such will not imposea load on the motor. By diluting and cooling the gases and renderingthem substantially harmless, danger to life and vegetation is materiallyreduced.

While certain features of the present invention are more or lessspecifically illustrated, I Wish it understood that various changes isform and proportion may be resorted to within the scope of the appendedclaim. I similarly Wish it understood that the materials and finish ofthe several parts employed may be such as the experience and judgment ofthe manufacturer may dictate or various uses may demand.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is A device of the character described, comprising arectangular shaped casing a series of superposed staggered platesmounted in said casing and forming a plurality of connected zigzagpassages, said casing having an inlet opening formed thereincommunicating with the uppermost of the passages, and a dischargeopening formed therein communicating with the lowermost of the passages,means for directing exhaust gases into the uppermost passage, a tunnelconnected with the uppermost passage to direct air into the passage, anda plurality of funnels connected With the other passages to direct airinto the same.

LEONARD E. CLAWSON.

